Unnamed List

  1. Adeon
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Description:

      This name of a legendary Welsh prince could serve as a more original alternative to Adam or Aidan, though it does sound a tad chemical.
  2. Auden
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "old friend"
    • Description:

      The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern Anglo-American poet W.H. Auden.
  3. Baer
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "bearlike, dweller at the sign of the bear"
    • Description:

      Reversed vowels make it seem less fierce.
  4. Bas
    • Origin:

      Dutch, diminutive of Bastiaan and Sebastian
    • Meaning:

      "person from the city of Sebastia"
    • Description:

      Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is another, similar and more appealing possibility.
  5. Cullen
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "holly tree"
    • Description:

      Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in 2010, but is still widely used.
  6. Cyprian
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "man of Cyprus"
    • Description:

      With a long and noble history -- Cyprian was one of the great Christian Latin writers -- this could make a highly unusual but meaningful choice.
  7. Edan
    • Origin:

      Irish and Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "little fire; era"
    • Description:

      This cross-cultural name is a spelling variant of two different popular names: the Irish Aidan and the Hebrew Idan. While Idan is a Top 100 choice in Israel, Aidan - and Aiden - in a number of English speaking countries. Pleasingly simple and concise, Edan may however be mistaken for Eden.
  8. Evander
    • Origin:

      Scottish; Greek
    • Meaning:

      "bow warrior; strong man"
    • Description:

      Evander is a name that could build on the popularity of shorter form Evan, and could work and play well with schoolmates like Zander and Xander.
  9. Ezekiel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God strengthens"
    • Description:

      Ezekiel used to be reduced to its nickname Zeke, but modern parents now embrace it in full for its power and dignity. Along with biblical brethren Asher and Ezra, Ezekiel is rising steadily up the popularity charts and is poised to take over for fading first wave Old Testament choices such as Zachary.
  10. Ezra
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "help"
    • Description:

      Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.
  11. Gyan
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "filled with knowledge"
    • Description:

      Almost unknown in the western world, Gyan comes from a Sanskrit word for knowledge. It may appeal to parents looking for a name influenced by eastern philosophy, like Bodhi or Zen.
  12. Holden
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "hollow valley"
    • Description:

      Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the name of its hero, Holden Caulfield -- not coincidentally in tune with the Hudson-Hayden-Colton field of names. (Trivia note: Salinger supposedly came up with the name while looking at a movie poster promoting a film starring William Holden and Joan Caulfield, though other sources say he was named after Salinger's friend Holden Bowler.) Another impetus was provided by a soap opera character introduced in 1985.
  13. Idan
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "era, time"
    • Description:

      Idan is a Hebrew unisex place-name rarely heard in this country.
  14. Ilan
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "tree"
    • Description:

      Because of its meaning, a symbolic name given to boys born on TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees, or Arbor Day.
  15. Jaden
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God has heard"
    • Description:

      While Jadon is the authentic biblical name, Jaden is by far the more popular spelling, first noticed when Will and Jada Pinkett Smith used it for their now grown (and famous) son. It has since swept the country for both sexes, with a wide variety of spellings and rhyming cousins.
  16. Jex
    • Origin:

      English surname derived from Jacques
    • Description:

      Decidedly offbeat name that combines jauntiness with that uber-cool X, and would certainly set your son up for life outside the mainstream.
  17. Jude
    • Origin:

      Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "praised"
    • Description:

      Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
  18. Keiran
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Kieran
    • Meaning:

      "little dark one"
    • Description:

      While Kieran is the class and most-used male form of this name, some people spell it Keiran in keeping with the female Keira, the version popularized by the gorgeous Ms. Knightley.
  19. Nolan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "champion"
    • Description:

      The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool, surname-style vibe of Greyson or Colton, it makes for a familiar and grounded choice.
  20. Oren
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "laurel or pine tree"
    • Description:

      Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.